Rangeela.

Rangeela

By Guest Blogger: Justin Chander

*Disclaimer: The views and experiences expressed in this blog post are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of ASAAP

So I enjoyed Rangeela clubbing night like usual! It’s a rare treat to have, but I enjoy when it comes around during the year! The club was packed, despite the warm snowstorm that was happening during the day. The one issue that tries to ruin it and (often everything) is White people. I meet this White guy because he was hanging with and talking to one of my friends who I invited to come, and then when I met him, he proceeds to ask me what my ethnicity is. No What’s your name?, How’s it going?, No…, What’s your ethnicity? I’m sorry, not sorry, but since when did entering the doors of the club, which were held open for me by the bouncer since I’m a princess, did they ask to do a demographic survey? I’m here to have fun with my friends and myself, not here to answer your ethnically-profiling questions. Anyways, so I answered politely, but I was not happy with this question, no one should be. It’s almost the same thing as someone asking, “So why isn’t your skin White?” Oh wait, then I proceeded to ask him what ethnicity he was to normalize what he was asking a bit, even though I didn’t care and even though the question he asked was stupid. “Try and guess.” In my head: *IDGAF* Politely, “English?” “No, I’m Goan.” “Really?” “No.” Hahahaha, YOU ARE SO FUNNY. YOU RELATE SOOOO MUCH TO MY CULTURE. “I’m Portuguese.” *Again, I don’t care. Never did, didn’t, and never will.* Almost every time I am hit on in a club by a White guy, the first question he asks me is my ethnicity. Like, if you’re trying to relate with me by my ethnicity or what you think it is, you’re doing a sucky job, so stop, matter of fact, just don’t do it because you have a 0% success rate. Why? Because chances are the culture you have isn’t the same to mine, or remotely close, so don’t even try to do so. Okay, so when I was done that conversation with Becky, I proceeded back to the dance floor to keep dancing my ass off. Later on in the night, I was stalked around the dance floor by another White guy who wanted to dance with me. I kept moving away and he kept following me, trying to dance with me. I kept giving him the mental cue that I was not interested but he didn’t get it. I kept moving to different groups of Brown guys and dancing in their group. He grabbed me on stage a little bit, just as I was leaving, but I shooed his hand off, so that he physically knew for sure that he was unwanted. This has happened to me quite a few times before. Not that I haven’t experienced this happening with guys of colour before, but this happens to me primarily by White guys. Like at AsianXpress, this has happened to me a few times and then they try to talk to me, but I just pretend like I don’t understand what they’re saying and then they finally get the fuck away from me. I think in our cultures, we know respect, so we don’t keep on like them; their true, trashy side comes out through this. Like I said, I came here to have fun with my friends and myself, and if I choose so to dance with guys, they’re probably going to be Asian guys or Brown guys or guys of colour who’s event is there primarily representing them or in general because let’s about be honest about that. I don’t have room in my diet for marshmallows, which aren’t very healthy anyways. Hasta La Vista gora!